Door coordinating device

ABSTRACT

A door coordinating device for use with a pair of doors which have overlapping edges, astragals, or rabbeted faces, or for any other reason have a preferred sequence for closing. The device has a pivotally mounted door stop which engages and holds open the overlapping door which is properly closed last until the overlapped door is closed thus triggering a latch which then allows the overlapping door to close. The device also provides that the latch mechanism can be overridden when sufficient force is exerted on the overlapping door regardless of the position of the overlapped door.

United States Patent [1 1 Fishbach [111 3,822,506 [451 July 9,1974

DOOR COORDINATING DEVICE Inventor: Frederick F. Fishbach, Saline, Mich.

Door Controls Incorporated, Saline, Mich.

May 21, 1973 Assignee:

Filed:

Appl. No.:

US. Cl 49/367, 16/82, 292/333 Int. Cl. E05c 7/05 Field of Search 49/366-369;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,015,996 10/1935 Eichacken 49/366 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 582,993 8/1933 Germany 49/367 Primary ExaminerKenneth Downey Attorney, Agent, or Firm-O1sen. and Stephenson [5 7] ABSTRACT 8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures l I I] 2, T 2 2 mimznm m 3,822,506

FIG. 4

1. DOOR COORDINATING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Overlapping edges, astragals, and rabbeted faces on pairs of doors are often utilized to provide a seal against smoke and hot air in the event of fire. Because of the overlappingedges the doors have a preferred sequence of closing so that the overlapping or active door is held open until the overlapped or inactive door is closed.

Past devices have often been mounted above the doors at the point of a closing. US. Pat. No. 1,706,050, issued to Rosenberg is a typical use of a protruding center device which strikes the doors near the closing point and suffers several drawbacks.

A center mounted device is continually subject to substantial impact by active door when the active door is held open by' the device. The center device which protrudes is unsightly and prone to vandalism or accidental mishap. In the even of failure the device is likely to inhibit the complete closing of the doors.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention overcomes the problems of the prior art by providing a door coordinating device which coordinates the closing of an inactive door which must for some reason be closed before an active door. The invention provides a pivotal door stop mounted above the active door and proximate to the hinged side of the active door. The positioning of the door stop allows a small protrusion to hold the active door open sufficiently. The door stop is ordinarily free to pivot in conjunction with the active door when it is opened and closed. When the inactive door is opened, a trigger with a cam surface forces a plunger to latch the door stop and hold the active door open. If the active door tries to close before the inactive door, the inherent shock absorbing capability of the door stop assists the usual door closer in checking the door. When the trigger is engaged again by the inactive door, the plunger is free to slide to an unlatched position.

The device is mounted along the upper part of the door frame and is inconspicuous whether the doors are closed or opened.

Providing a reliable, inconspicuous, damage resistant door coordinating device is among the objects of the present invention. Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THEDRAWINGS FIG. I is a fragmentary front view of a double door and frame assembly, with some parts broken away for the purpose of clarity, shown in assembly relation with the door coordinating device of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the door coordinating device as seen from substantially the line 2-2 in FIG. 1, showing-the device in a door closed" condition; and

FIG. 3 is a top view similar to FIG. 2 showing the de vice in a door open condition; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the device of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

Referring to FIG. 1, the door coordinating device, generally indicated at 10, is mounted along a top portion 11 of a door frame 12. A pair of double doors 14 are hingedly mounted by hinges 16 to both sides 18 and 20 of the door frame 12. The doors 14 cooperately engage each other along a gap 21 at center line 22. An astragal 24 is connected by screws 26 to door 28 and overlaps door 30 to seal the gap 21.when the doors 28 and 30 are closed. As can be readily observed, the door 30 (the inactive or overlapped door) must be closed before the-door 28 (the inactive or overlapping door) is closed if the astragal is to properly seal the gap 21.

The door coordinating device 1.0 (FIG. 2) includes a closed channel-shaped frame 32 (FIG. 4) which is mounted to the top portion 11 of the door frame 12 (FIG. 2). A door stop member 34 is pivotally mounted to the channel frame 32 by means of a pin 36 proximate to the side 18 of the door frame 12. A hairpin spring 38 urges the door stop member 34 against the active door 28. The door stop member 34, thus biased and positioned proximate to side 18, pivots in conjunction with the active door 28 from a position in FIG. 2 to a position shown in FIG. 3 when the active door 28 is opened and pivots back again when the active door 28 is closed. The door stop member 34 has a shallow cam surface 37 and a deep cam surface 39 the purpose of which will appear later.

A trigger 40 is slidably mounted on the frame 32 proximatelto the center line 22 and engages inactive door 30. A trigger spring 42 urges the trigger 40 against the inactive door 28 and causes the trigger 40 to protude (FIG. 3) when the inactive door 30 is open. The trigger has a locking surface 41 and a cam surface 43 the purposes of which are hereinafter explained.

A plunger 44 is slidably mounted on the channel frame 32for movement in the longitudinal direction. The plunger 44 has a trigger engaging end 46 which engages cam surface 43 of trigger 40 and slides rightward in response to the trigger 40 moving forward as inactive door 30 is opened. When the trigger 40 is fully extended the locking surface 41 holds the plunger 44 from moving leftward until the trigger 40 is retracted. The plunger 44 has a latching end 48 which has a shallow cam surface 50 which engages and interacts with shallowcam surface 37 when the door stop member 34 is being pivoted into its closed position. The shallowness of themating cam surfaces Y37 and 50 provide a small component of force relative to the normal force exerted for sliding the latching end 48 leftward. The latching end 48 also has a deep cam surface 52 which engages and interacts with deep cam surface 39 when the door stop member is being pivoted into its open position by the action of hairpin spring 38. The deepness of the mating cam surfaces 52 and 39 provides a large component of force relative to the normal force exerted for sliding the latching end 48 leftward.

The plunger 44 has a rod 54 supporting the end 46 and a compression spring 56 urging latching end 48 against door stop 34 so that end 48 can slide leftward compressing compression spring 56 when the trigger end 46 is locked in its latched position by trigger 46 as shown in FIG. 3.

In operation the door coordinating device Ml allows the active door 28 to swing freely when the inactive door 30 is closed. When the trigger 40 is depressed (FIG. 2) and the plunger 44 is in its leftward or unlatched position, the door stop member 34 clears the latching end 44 and is free to pivot constrained only by the hairpin spring 38 and the active door 28.

When both doors 28 and 30 are open (FlG. 3), the trigger 40 protrudes and forces plunger 44 into its rightward or latching position by means of cam surface 43. The trigger 40 then locks the plunger by means of a locking surface 41 engaging the plungers trigger engaging end portion 46. The latching end 48 now extends'into the path of the door stop member 34. When closing of the active door 28 is attempted before inactive door 30, the inherent shock absorbing capability of the door stop 34 will assist the usual door closer ,(not shown) in checking the door. This inherent shock absorbing capability of the door stop 34 is due to its bifurcated shape with two long narrow legs 70 extending away from the pivot 36. When the door 28 hits the outer leg 70 it yields toward the inner leg 70 to resiliently stop the door.

If an extraordinary force is exerted to close active door 28, the shallow cam surfaces 50 and 37 will produce a sufficient leftward component of force to overcome compression spring 56 and allow the door stop member 34 to thus override the latch end 48 and return to its closed position. lf the active door 28 is subsequently opened, the deep cam surfaces 39 and 52 will provide sufficient leftward force at the urging of the hairpin spring 38 to allow the door stop member 34 to compress compression spring 56 and override latching end 48 and thus return to an open position (FIG. 3).

If both doors 28 and 30 are open and the inactive door 30 is closed first, the trigger 40 is retracted. When active door 28 is then closed the shallow cam surfaces 37 and 50 having only a small leftward force component can still easily slide the freely slidable plunger 44 to the left and allow free closing of the active door 28.

. The door stop member is so dimensioned that it is in the open position (FIG. 3) at the moment the inactive door 30 clears the astragal 24. Thus if both doors R4 are opened by pushing on the inactive door the device will still provide for proper coordinated closing of the doors 14.

What is claimed is:

1. In a door system having a pair of cooperatively engaging doors, one door being active and one door being inactive, and each door being hinged on one of its sides to a door frame, apparatus for coordinating the closing of said doors comprising frame means disposed along a top portion of said doors and supported by said door frame, a door stop member having shock absorbing capabilities and rotatably mounted on said frame means adjacent the hinged side of said active door, said door stop member being located for engagement with said active door at a position adjacent the hinged side thereof, trigger means movably mounted on said frame and engageable with said inactive door, said door stop member having a protruding position and a retracted position and in said retracted position being spaced a substantial distance from said trigger means, and means interconnecting said trigger means and said door stop member in a manner to control rotation of said door stop member and thereby control closing of said active door in relation to closing of said inactive door.

2. Door coordinating apparatus according to claim 1 further including spring means on said frame means urging said door stop member to rotate into said protruding position, closing of said active door being operable to rotate said door stop member into said retracted position.

3. Door coordinating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said interconnecting means comprises a trigger engaging end-portion, a latching end portion, and an intermediate connecting means connecting said end portions, said interconnecting means being slidable between a latched position and an unlatched position determined by engagement of said trigger means with said trigger engaging end portion of said interconnecting means.

4. Door coordinating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said intermediate connecting means includes a plunger spring which allows said latching end portion to move relative to said trigger engaging end portion thereby allowing said door stop member to achieve its retracted position by overriding said latching end portion of said interconnecting means when said interconnecting means is in the latched position.

5. Door coordinating apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said door stop member is of bifurcated shape with legs yieldably movable toward each other, and one of said legs is engaged with said active door.

6. Door coordinating apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said trigger means comprises a cam member slidably mounted to engage said inactive door and said interconnecting means comprises plunger means, said cam member being adapted to move in a direction from a plunger unlocked position to a plunger locked position, a trigger spring urging said cam member in said direction to thereby force said plunger means into its latched position, said cam member also being adapted to move in reverse of said direction when said inactive door is closed against said trigger means so that said plunger means is free to move to its unlatched position.

7. Door coordinating apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said bifurcated door stopmember and said plunger means have first and second pairs of engaging camming surfaces, said first pair interacting to force said plunger means toward its unlatched position as said door stop member rotates at the urging of said door stop spring means into its protruding position and said second pair interacting to force said plunger means toward its unlatched position as said door stop means retracts in response to said active door being closed.

8. Door coordinating apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said first pair of camming surfaces provides a greater component of force to slide said latching end portion to its unlatched position than said second pair of camming surfaces. 

1. In a door system having a pair of cooperatively engaging doors, one door being active and one door being inactive, and each door being hinged on one of its sides to a door frame, apparatus for coordinating the closing of said doors comprising frame means disposed along a top portion of said doors and supported by said door frame, a door stop member having shock absorbing capabilities and rotatably mounted on said frame means adjacent the hinged side of said active door, said door stop member being located for engagement with said active door at a position adjacent the hinged side thereof, trigger means movably mounted on said frame and engageable with said inactive door, said door stop member having a protruding position and a retracted position and in said retracted position being spaced a substantial distance from said trigger means, and means interconnecting said trigger means and said door stop member in a manner to control rotation of said door stop member and thereby control closing of said active door in relation to closing of said inactive door.
 2. Door coordinating apparatus according to claim 1 further including spring means on said frame means urging said door stop member to rotate into said protruding position, closing of said active door being operable to rotate said door stop member into said retracted position.
 3. Door coordinating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said interconnecting means comprises a trigger engaging end portion, a latching end portion, and an intermediate connecting means connecting said end portions, said interconnecting means being slidable between a latched position and an unlatched position determined by engagement of said trigger means with said triggeR engaging end portion of said interconnecting means.
 4. Door coordinating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said intermediate connecting means includes a plunger spring which allows said latching end portion to move relative to said trigger engaging end portion thereby allowing said door stop member to achieve its retracted position by overriding said latching end portion of said interconnecting means when said interconnecting means is in the latched position.
 5. Door coordinating apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said door stop member is of bifurcated shape with legs yieldably movable toward each other, and one of said legs is engaged with said active door.
 6. Door coordinating apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said trigger means comprises a cam member slidably mounted to engage said inactive door and said interconnecting means comprises plunger means, said cam member being adapted to move in a direction from a plunger unlocked position to a plunger locked position, a trigger spring urging said cam member in said direction to thereby force said plunger means into its latched position, said cam member also being adapted to move in reverse of said direction when said inactive door is closed against said trigger means so that said plunger means is free to move to its unlatched position.
 7. Door coordinating apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said bifurcated door stop member and said plunger means have first and second pairs of engaging camming surfaces, said first pair interacting to force said plunger means toward its unlatched position as said door stop member rotates at the urging of said door stop spring means into its protruding position and said second pair interacting to force said plunger means toward its unlatched position as said door stop means retracts in response to said active door being closed.
 8. Door coordinating apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said first pair of camming surfaces provides a greater component of force to slide said latching end portion to its unlatched position than said second pair of camming surfaces. 